


Whispers in Autumn

by Ladibard_Wordsmith28



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Autumn, Birthday, F/M, Letters, Love Confessions, Moving On, Past Relationship(s), Pen Pals, Post-Break Up, Romantic Fluff, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:34:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25732180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladibard_Wordsmith28/pseuds/Ladibard_Wordsmith28
Summary: Albert Camus once said, ’Autumn is second Spring when every leaf is a flower’- Charlie Weasley and Hermione Granger had been pen pals for a long time. But Charlie had never acted on his feelings thinking his younger brother truly loved the witch and they would settle down soon enough. And no one would know about him and his aching heart if he is away in the Dragon Reserve. But Ron broke up with the witch on her birthday, through a letter. The distraught woman had left without telling anyone where she was heading. But he knew where she went, because if there was anyone apart from Harry Potter whom Hermione Granger trusted it was him- her Prince Charming who rode dragons. (au) (one-shot).
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Charlie Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 8
Kudos: 89
Collections: Harry Potter Hump Day Drabbles





	Whispers in Autumn

Disclaimer: The regular disclaimer still stays in place, I owe nothing but the AU and OC. The rest belongs to JKR. My mind lives in the Harry Potter fanfiction world though my body is still thankfully anchored in the monotonous reality of existence. My themes, plotline, and storyline may, therefore, get indirectly influenced by many of the brilliant fanfiction writers on this site. And I humbly bow to such creative genius who give me much needed literary pleasures to see through the toils of mundane life. Lastly, I would like to thank Weasley’s Witches & writers admins to tempt me into thinking out of the box. Reviews would encourage this introvert writer to peep out of her literary closet.

My Pair: Charlie Weasley/Hermione Granger

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**Whispers in Autumn**

Drawing small circles over his nordic tattoos etched on his biceps, Hermione shifted over him and watched the foamy water dance around them. He had red hair like Ron. But Ron never held her in a bathtub like this. Neither did he hum a tune she had never heard of. He preferred the shower.

_ Ron left for overseas mumbling he might return around her birthday. But he never returned, instead, a freezing post owl came with his scrawled excuse,”  _ _ I don’t feel like coming back to you. I don’t feel the sparkle in our relationship. I now understand I never did. Here in Ilvermorny, I found someone I truly care about. Hermione, I think I love her. I have tried to be with you. But you know for a fact, we could never hold a conversation for hours together. We fought bickered and made up, but you know that was not enough…” _

_ The letter had slipped from her trembling fingers as she slagged down the rug floor of the Burrow in shock. Fleur Weasley had picked it up and had read aloud the whole thing, growing angrier by the minute.  _

_ “ _ _ So I am pleading to you to let me go and listen to my heart’s desire. This witch, she makes me feel alive, she makes me laugh and feel free. I want her. Please, I hope you will understand...after all you only profess so much about forgiving… _ _ ” The French woman was fuming and had gripped at her husband,” Bill, do something! NO ONE should get away hurting someone they love just like that!” _

_ Hermione had left even before Molly and Arthur could stop her. She had apparated start to this secluded cottage, she had bought after selling off the Granger Residence. The Wilkins had refused to return back and the family had made peace with their estranged daughter. She wasn’t quite successful in revising her parents’ memories. But Healers had encouraged her,” they will come back in bits and pieces Miss Granger, that’s at least a good news.” _

Her birthday had long gone and today was the 1st of October. She had just put the kettle on to make some tea when the wards around the property had alerted her of his arrival. The tall man with hair whipping around his fair had walked up to the house with a purpose. Her knees had trembled at his ferocious determination and she had swung open the door and ran all the way. He had picked her up and had hugged her with all his might.

He had walked into the house with her still sobbing in his arms, dropping his duffle bag next to the door and kicking the door with his foot, he had carried her into the cozy living area and had settled down on the leather couch. 

Once she sobs subsided, the man had murmured across her brow,” I came as soon as I could.” 

“I think I owe you an apology, Charlie.”

“Whatever for love?” he ran his fingers through her matted curls, trying to soothe her.

“I lied to you. And I ended up hurting you. I am sorry,” she sniffed and hiccuped burying her head into his worn-out jacket.

“Sush, and tell me, why are there so many owls hovering around that pier about three miles away?”

“No, Charlies, Please allow me to say this,” she begged earnest.

The man below her squeezed her and kissed her head a couple of times,” Hermione, I will never ask you to stop talking, rather I wish to hear that sweet voice of yours in every waking moment of my life. Go on, tell me?”

“Ron, Ron was never the same after the war, that locket stole away all the things I loved about him. First, he doubted whether Harry and I were involved. Then he doubted whether I was having affairs behind his back. Charlie trust me, I..” sniffing and clearing her throat, she carried on,” Victor was just a crush, much like Lockhart. And what I felt for Ron was…”

“In your own way, you loved Ron, though my brother is a dolt to let go of a fine witch like you.” He reasoned though he failed to hide that speck of hurt from his voice.

She lifted herself a bit and stared at him tentatively,” Do you know the story of Prince Charming?”

Charlie laughed out and nodded,” Oh dear! Ginny would run after Dad, Bill, or me with that muggle book. She favorite bedtime story. Merlin, how the years fly by. Did she ever tell you, she had asked the twins to vanish away that white horse and instead pull a broomstick on the paper, which hovered in the air. That girl had written Harry’s name beside the flouncy…,” narrowing his ocean blue eyes, he asked,” But you are trying to say something else, aren’t you?”

The witch in his arms blushed and mumbled,” I had heard so much about you, that I couldn’t resist writing you a letter in my first year. And it was sweet of you to agree to be my pen pal. Charlie, I don’t blame Ron, as much as I blame myself for our failed relationship. Ron never stopped being a stranger. He was not my Prince Charming. My Prince Charming never rode broomsticks in my dreams, nor did his letters made me cry so much. My Prince Charming’s letters made my spirits rise, made me feel buoyant and alive. Filled my heart with dragon breathe. My Prince Charming rides dragons, actually taming them and breeds them somewhere in Romania.”

She had looked deep into his wide eyes and a moment later leaned over to kiss him on his lips. Charlie had reciprocated her gesture honestly enough, making her trill like a newborn dragon whelp. When they had parted, Granger managed to confess happily,” I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.”

The new lovers watched the autumn leaves fail free from the crooked branches of the tree close to the house through the bathroom window and Charlie whispered into her ears, sagely, “Albert Camus once said, ’Autumn is second Spring when every leaf is a flower’.”

“Albert Camus?” she asked curiously.

“Hey! I love a Muggleborn Witch, I should be reading muggle literature at least!” he wriggled his brow at her suggestively.

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This fic is contributed to the prompt provided by Weasleys, Witches & Writers. Prompt head," Hump Day Drabble".

The prompt:

“I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.”

  
  



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